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FCC Considering Updating 911 System To Accept Texts and Video
by Joseph Ernest November 24, 2010
Newscast Media VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- Julius Genachowski, th Federal Communication Commission (FCC) chairman is considering updating the 911 emergency call system to accept photo, text and video messages. The current system accepts phone calls but not the communication tools for tomorrow, he said.
The FCC said the Virginia Tech massacre was an incident when 911 multimedia technology could have been employed. Thirty-two people were left dead after a student opened fire on the Virginia Tech university campus in 2007.
"Some students and witnesses tried to text 911 during that emergency and as we know, those messages never went through and were never received by local 911 dispatchers," Mr Genachowski said.
But those multimedia messages may soon be answered due to broadband-enabled Next Generation 911, Mr Genachowski said, in a speech at the Arlington County Emergency Center in Virginia.
"Even though mobile phones are the device of choice for most 911 callers, and we primarily use our phones to text, right now, you can't text 911. It's time to bring 911 into the digital age."
Changes to modernize the current system would require a vote from the FCC.
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